Network Client™

Troubleshooting Guide
The first section of this guide answers some frequently asked
questions (FAQs) about the operation of Intellex and the
Network Client software. It also addresses common issues
when installing Intellex and Network Client on an existing
corporate network or on a private network.

The second section provides a troubleshooting guide that helps

you identify possible solutions to Network Client problems.

FREQUENTLY ASKED How many Intellex units can I attach to a Network Client?
QUESTIONS Network Client supports as many Intellex units as you can
attach to your network. Adding Intellex and Network Client
units may affect general network performance, but not any
more than adding other types of computer equipment to the
network. Ultimately, performance depends on how much video
data you will retrieve over the network. If five or more Network
Client units display live video from the same Intellex unit, the
performance of the Intellex can degrade. This includes
recording rate and search speed.

Can I connect an Intellex unit and a Network Client directly using a

CAT 5 crossover cable?

An Intellex unit and Network Client can be connected directly

using a crossover cable. However, we recommend using stan-
dard network cables and a network hub or switch.

Can I use IPX on my network for Network Client operation?

Intellex and Network Client use TCP/IP to communicate.

Therefore, your network must support TCP/IP operation. You
must also install the protocol stack.
2 Network Client™

Can I access the Internet using Network Client?

This version of Network Client supports LAN, WAN, and dial-

up network configurations. The Internet may be part of your
network topology and you may access Intellex units through
the Internet. However, Network Client cannot access other
Internet resources such as the World Wide Web.

Can I access an Intellex on my network remotely using a laptop com-

puter with a modem?

Yes. A modem can be used to access a corporate or private net-

work with Intellex units connected or to call an Intellex unit
directly if it is equipped with a modem.

Can I view video from one Intellex unit at more than one Network Client
workstation?

Yes. Any Network Client can retrieve video and alarm infor-
mation from any Intellex that it can connect to. Setup, alarm
retrieval, and video retrieval is limited to one Network Client
at a time.

The Live Remote video capability of Intellex and Network

Client supports multiple simultaneous connections. Intellex
performance is degraded if 5 or more Network Clients are
displaying live video from the same Intellex.

Will sending live video over my network affect network performance?

That depends on how much bandwidth is available on your

network and how you use Network Client. Intellex and
Network Client use the same protocols for sending digital video
data as common office applications. Live video is scaled and
compressed before transmission to minimize the network
bandwidth requirements. Bandwidth usage ranges from less
than 1000 bytes/sec to about 200,000 bytes/sec but it is typically
less than 20,000 bytes/sec, which is a fraction of one percent of
a 100BASE-TX network. The actual data rate is displayed in
the upper right corner of the Live Display window. Bandwidth
usage can be controlled with the Live Camera Settings in
Network Client.
Network Client™ Troubleshooting Guide 3

How much data will you send over my network?

Live Video display uses from 2,000 bytes/sec to 200,000 bytes/

sec, depending on the image content and the Network Client
Live Camera Settings. If there is not enough bandwidth avail-
able, frames will be dropped to accommodate what is avail-
able.

Retrieval of recorded video files can use more bandwidth, but

only for the duration of the download. The size of the down-
load is displayed before the download begins and the down-
load can be terminated at any time without losing any data
that has already been received.

How much bandwidth will Intellex/Network Client use on my network?

On a private 100BASE-TX network with no other traffic,

Network Client will use from 6% to a maximum 12% of network
bandwidth during download of video clips. Live Display
typically uses less than one percent.

On a corporate network, bandwidth is usually allocated by the

server or servers, and is affected by network topology and
installed equipment. Intellex and Network Client will not
monopolize network bandwidth.

How many of my T1 lines are you going to take up with an Intellex/

Network Client configuration?

It depends on several factors, including the number of installed

Intellex units and Network Clients and how much Intellex data
you will retrieve. The network may become saturated only if
you retrieve many large files, a situation that will probably not
occur.

My network consists of numerous mainframes located worldwide. Can

I still install Intellex and Network Client?

Yes. As long as your network supports TCP/IP and any

firewalls are configured properly, the Network Client will be
able to connect to the Intellex.
4 Network Client™

Can Intellex and Network Client perform on a Wide Area Network (WAN)?

Yes. As long as the IP address or host name can be resolved

and routed the Network Client will be able to connect to the
Intellex.

What must my MIS people do to install and configure Intellex and Net-
work Client on my network?

This depends on the network configuration and the location of

the Intellex and Network Client units. It may be as simple as
providing hook-ups to the network. The MIS staff may have to
provide logon capabilities and set up access capabilities
between network domains. They may also use subnetting to
isolate video traffic from other parts of the network, and if
firewalls are used, the port addresses in Intellex, Network
Client, and the firewall must be properly configured.

How do Intellex and Network Client establish communications?

Intellex does not send any messages on its own, thereby elimi-
nating redundant broadcast messages from the Intellex units.
Instead, the Network Client “pings” the local area network for
the Intellex units entered in the Remote Instruments list. It pings
each time you start the Network Client or whenever you press
the Refresh button in the Action menu.

Can I retrieve more than one video segment from an Intellex unit at the
same time?

No. You can only retrieve one video segment at a time.

What is the largest video segment that I can retrieve from an Intellex
unit?

1GB. This limit prevents network saturation. If you try to re-

trieve more, an error message appears and video retrieval is
cancelled.

Can I run the Network Client from a server on my corporate network?

No. The Network Client software, and its software key, must
be installed on each computer that will use it. The software
key is included with each Network Client ver. 2.0L package.
Network Client™ Troubleshooting Guide 5

What are the system requirements for Network Client operation?

Refer to System Requirements in the Network Client Installation

and Operating Instructions.

How should I back up the video segments that are stored on my Net-
work Client?

Follow your current corporate procedures to back up the data

on your computer. We recommend backing up files on a regular
basis. If you have network drives connected to your computer
you can use them to store the video data. Define the path for
your database by clicking on the database icon, then clicking
on File, Database, New and enter the path description.

Can I assign IP addresses using DHCP?

Yes. As long as the name resolution services of the network are

properly configured the Intellex units can be found by host
name.

The Intellex unit or the Network Client unit does not appear on the
Windows Network Neighborhood screen. Is this a problem?

The Intellex and Network Client units do not have to appear

on this screen because they communicate at a different level
than other computers on your network. To verify that the units
can communicate, use the Ping network program.

How much space is required by the Network Client software?

The software itself, with help files, requires less then 10MB of
hard disk space. More space may be required if the user
manuals are loaded at installation (up to 50 MB). However,
you should have at least 2GB available to store the video
segments retrieved from the Intellex units.

Can I retrieve sound with the video?

No. At present, Intellex does not support audio.

6 Network Client™

How can I get more technical information about Intellex and Network
Client?

If you are a certified dealer, you already have access to a library

of technical information.

If you are a user, contact your certified dealer, or contact Tech-

nical Support at 800-842-3060 x7408.

I am currently using Network Client 1.0. Is my video database compat-

ible with Network Client 2.0?

Your Network Client 1.0 database must be converted to the

Network Client 2.0 format. Run the conversion utility by se-
lecting Start, Programs, Network Client, Convert V1.0 Database.

I cannot connect to my Intellex 1.6 units on my network. What’s wrong?

Network Client 2.0 is only compatible with Intellex 2.1 soft-

ware. If you have an Intellex 2.0 unit it must be upgraded to
version 2.1 software. Intellex 1.6 units are not compatible with
Network Client 2.0 and cannot be upgraded.

I cannot see any live video on my Network Client system.

The default display protocol for Network Client is DirectDraw.

However, some combinations of graphics card and operating
system do not support DirectDraw. You can change the dis-
play protocol to bit map by turning off DirectDraw in Setup,
Display Configuration in Network Client.

How long does it take to retrieve video clips?

A 5 minute video clip recorded at 30 images per second can

contain 20MB to 40MB of data. To download this much data,
it would take:

1-2 minutes on 100BASE-TX or lightly loaded 10BASE-T

5-10 minutes on a busy 10BASE-T
1-3 hours over dial-up

What kind of refresh rate can be expected for live video over dial-up?

Depending on the image content, the line quality, and the Net-
work Client settings, two images per second to several sec-
onds per image is possible.
Network Client™ Troubleshooting Guide 7

IN CASE OF TROUBLE If a problem occurs, review the manual section covering the
activity associated with the problem. If necessary, consult the
Troubleshooting Guide on the following pages.

If the problem cannot be solved, you may have to contact your

dealer or the factory. When you call for support, the
representative will ask you to provide specific information about
the installation. To save time, spend a few minutes getting
organized.

Before calling Technical Support, write down the following

information:

• The serial number of your Network Client software.

• The software version as shown on the About screen.
• The make and model of each piece of hardware connected
to the Intellex and the Network Client computer.
• Approximate date of purchase and of installation.
• The exact text of the error message (if any).
• The symptoms you have observed.

NOTE: Please do not return any product to the factory without

obtaining a Return Authorization (RA) number. Failure
to do so can result in a significant delay in processing
your repair. To obtain an authorization number, contact
Technical Support.
8 Network Client™
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
PROBLEM POSSIBLE CAUSES
PROBLEMS CONNECTING
Intermittent The name resolution services
connection between of the network are slow or not
Network Client and configured properly.
an Intellex.
Intellex and Network There is a problem with the
Client will not Intellex.
connect.
There is a problem with the
network hardware or
configuration.
An incompatible version of
the Intellex software is
installed on the Intellex unit.
A login ID is required on
some networks.
You may have installed the
network card driver twice,
even though only one
network card is present.
A power surge may have
affected network operation.
Network maintenance may
have affected network
operation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Use the IP address of the Intellex
instead of the unit name.
Access the status screen on the
Intellex unit. If Unavailable
appears next to Network, refer to
the Intellex Troubleshooting Guide.
Use the Ping network program to
check if the hardware is working
correctly. If this works, contact
your MIS department for
assistance.
Check the software version on the
Intellex unit (see Intellex Operating
Instructions). If it is not v2.1 or
higher, upgrade the software.
Contact your MIS department to
configure this on your Network
Client computer.
Delete both drivers and re-install
the correct driver just once.
Connect your Network Client and
the Intellex unit as a private
network. If this works, contact
your MIS department to reset
your network accordingly.
Connect your Network Client and
the Intellex unit as a private
network. If this works, contact
your MIS department to reset
your network accordingly.
Network Client™ Troubleshooting Guide 9

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
PROBLEM POSSIBLE CAUSES
PROBLEMS CONNECTING (CONTINUED)
The Intellex unit does You are using the DHCP to
not re-connect after assign the IP address to the
you disconnect and Network Client computer.
try to connect to the
Network Client.
After installing new The new hardware was
hardware, the installed or configured
Network Client incorrectly.
computer does not
function correctly. The hardware installation
corrupted one or more
Windows files.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Contact your MIS department to
assign permanent IP addresses to
all Intellex units and Network
Client computers.
Reconfigure the hardware and its
driver.
Reinstall hardware.
Re-install Windows NT Service
Pack 4, Windows 98, or Windows
2000.

OTHER PROBLEMS
When you print from Bi-directional support, which Disable bi-directional support for
your computer, is enabled for your printer, the printer. (Refer to the printer
Network Client conflicts with the software documentation for more
displays the message key. information.)
“Software key is
missing.” But the
software key is still
installed.
Cannot see live video Graphics card or driver not Check Settings tab in Display
or Network Client compatible with DirectDraw. Properties for True Color (32-bit).
crashes when Live
Display selected. Disable DirectDraw on the
Display configuration menu.

Cannot connect to The dial-up settings are not
Intellex through dial- configured properly for the
up. operating system of the
Network Client host.
Refer to the Dial-up Networking
settings for your operating
system in Appendix A of the
Network Client Installation and
Operating Instructions.
Check that the Server type is set
to Default, and that the “Enable
software compression” box has
been checked and the “Require
Encrypted Password” has been
cleared.
10 Network Client™

NOTES
Network Client™ Troubleshooting Guide 11

Notice The information in this manual was current when published. The
manufacturer reserves the right to revise and improve its products.
All specifications are therefore subject to change without notice.

Copyright Under copyright laws, the contents of this manual may not be cop-
ied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronic
medium or machine-readable form, in whole or in part, without prior
written consent of Sensormatic Electronics Corporation.

© Copyright 1999–2001
Sensormatic Electronics Corporation
Video Systems Division
6795 Flanders Drive
San Diego, CA 92121-2903 U.S.A.

Trademarks Intellex® is a registered trademark and Network Client™ is a trade-

mark of Sensormatic Electronics Corporation. Windows®, NT®,
DirectPlay® and DirectDraw® are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.

Trademarked names are used throughout this manual. Rather than

place a symbol at each occurrence, trademarked names are desig-
nated with initial capitalization. Inclusion or exclusion is not a judg-
ment on the validity or legal status of the term.
12 Network Client™

Sensormatic Video Systems

Division
6795 Flanders Drive
San Diego, California 92121-2903
TEL: 858-642-2400
800-854-2057
FAX: 858-642-2440
Customer Service: 800-507-6268 Part Number 8000-2251-00 REV A